Summary: Synopsis<br> People often ask “How do I stay in touch with people?” or “How do I get back in touch with people that I haven’t seen or spoken to lately?”<br> You have to start by making a commitment to improve in this area. If you haven’t been good at this in the past, start to focus on improving today.<br> <br> * Sort through your lists. You can’t stay in touch with everyone. Create a shortlist of people you want to maintain a relationship with.<br> * Use the system they use. If these people are really important to you, show up where they are: email, social networks, telephone, What’sApp.<br> * Use social media platforms to share news and updates. This way people can see what you’re up to even if you don’t send a personal message.<br> * Send a letter or card by snail mail–at least once in a while.<br> * Use messaging systems like Skype or Facebook Messenger.<br> * Make periodic phone calls. In some cases, a regularly scheduled call is appropriate and effective.<br> * Meet face to face. Nothing beats actually meeting someone face to face and having a conversation.<br> <br> Do you have a strategy to add? Or an example of how you use one of the seven? Share it in the comments.<br> Brought to you by the <a href="http://tiny.cc/NetworkingForSuccess">Networking for Success YouTube Channel</a>.<br> Complete Transcript of Episode 491 –<br> Priscilla:<br><br> Hello everyone and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast, brought to you by the Networking for Success Channel on YouTube, featuring Dr. Ivan Miser and many other networking experts. I am Priscilla Rice, and I am coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California. I am joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello, Ivan. How are you and where are you?<br> Ivan:<br><br> Hi Priscilla. This week, I am in Las Vegas, Nevada for an executive management meeting for BNI. We tied it into the International Franchise Association, which is being held this week. This is the management team for BNI globally, so many people from all over the world who help run the program are here.<br> Priscilla:<br><br> That’s great. Is that a large number?<br> Ivan:<br><br> About 20 people who are part of the top management, the Executive Management and Executive Council which are in the top countries.<br> Priscilla:<br><br> Interesting. Okay.<br> Ivan:<br><br> So today I am going to talk about seven strategies to stay in touch. People often ask me – this is a great podcast for early in the year because people often ask me how I stay in touch with people or how I get back in touch with people I haven’t spoken to lately.<br> I think the first thing- I am going to give you seven strategies. Here is a bonus concept before I give you the seven strategies. That is that you have to start by making a commitment to improve in this area. There is a great Chinese proverb that I really like and I know I have shared it on the podcast before. When is the best time to plant an oak tree? The answer is 20 years ago. When is the second best time? Well, today.<br> If you want to improve on your follow up, you can begin, if you haven’t been real good at it in the past. That’s okay. I hereby forgive you. Start the focus on improving strategies now. Here are seven strategies that will help you improve in this area.<br> Do the ones that work best for you. They may not always work for you, but surely, you can take three, four or five of these strategies and apply them.<br> Here is the first thing that you want to do: One, sort through your list. You can’t stay in touch with everyone. Who do you want to make sure to stay connected with and why? It could be personal or it could be professional, but create a list where you want to focus on staying connected with these people.
